I'm in the process of buying a piece of land in the southeast part of the state. About 40 acres of it was replanted in loblolly pines in 2016. I'm not really buying it as a timber investment, but won't turn my nose up at some extra money either. Trees are about 18" or so tall now and I know before long it will be thicker than hair on a dogs back. At what point will it start to open back up and be a pretty piece of property again? When do Loblolly pines usually need to be thinned and what are the small trees usually worth? how long does it usually take for them to mature? I know the way they are managed will effect the value, but what are mature Loblolly pines usually worth?

Someone more educated than me will come along, but in general your prob looking at a first thin 10-12 years second thin 14-18 years, clear cut 20-25 years. Burn it 3-4 times through the process

Pulp wood (which is all you will get in the first thinning) is around 6 - 8 per ton right now. On 40 acres you would be lucky to get $8,000 or so out of a first thinning. The first thinning is normally taking every third row out; it will be open enough to use for hunting and stuff at that point.

Where I'm from, that's very optimistic, and probably not realistic. We don't have the best dirt either. I think I saw a report that said the average "clear cut" was around 30-33 years. But I could be off on that.

Depends on the soil and if they used good seedlings. Youngest I have ever thinned were 11 years old and I had rather a landowner herbicide the stand when it is about 17 years old rather then burn on loblolly, depending on the competition.

I was in the same situation you are in right now. I bought 30 acres with 20ish in pines. The first thinning was done at year 13-15ish. They cut every 5th row and selectively thinned. They burned the spring after. I’m about to burn for the second time in the next month 2 yrs later.

My trees are about 40 foot y’all now.

So what do y'all figure the grown ones will be worth?

I think it’s based on tonnage. And what the market is at the time. So it fluctuates all the time. Not only that....how far you are from a paper mill. Several diffferent things determine how much $$ you mak.

And one hurricane can wipe your pines out overnight too

I know that's right, or a bad fire, or bugs. That's why I dang sure ain't planning a retirement around it. By the time I get a house built, I doubt I'd want to cut them anyway. Just curious. Thanks fellas

What would an estimate be on a reasonable price(middle of the road) and a typical/average distance from a mill.

Run a machine over it and re plant in longleaf. I despise loblolly.

They are cutting prices on delivered pine pulpwood now. They will cut the price a dollar and a few weeks later raise it $..50, then repeat a few weeks later.

Why's that?

Lots of misinformation here.

The short answer is it is going to be a Pine ‘thicket’ until you then it around age 14, then 3 years afterwards unless you burn.